Secondary air-supply means for internal-combustion engines



- A. G. FRANCE SECONDARY A IR SUPPLY MEANS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Y Patented Sept. 11, 1923.

ARTHUR GRAHAM FRANCE, or LONDON, InnGLAnnQ Application filed January 20, 1923, Serial No. 614,027.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that .1, ARTHUR GRAHAM FRANCE, of 64 Chancery Lane, London, W. C. 2, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Secondary Air- Supply Means for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved means for the supply of secondary air to internal combustion engines, and refers particularly to air admission means located on the in duction pipe between the carburettor or other fuel vaporizing device and the engine valve ports or cylinders.

The objects of my invention are to provide an improved device for supplying secondary air which isoperated automatically by the suction of the engine, and in which the air drawn in is proportional to the speed of the engine, the device incorporating means by which the fuel mixture in the induction pipe is agitated to complete the atomization of the fuel and by which the air admitted is intimately mixed with and distributed through the fuel mix ture in the induction pipe.

lVith these objects in view my invention essentially comprises an improved secondary air supply means for attachment to the induction pipe of an internal combustion engine, in which air, drawn through the device by the suction of the engine, by passing over a series of blades or vanes mounted upon a spindle causes the spindle to rotate,

and further blades or vanes on a portion of the spindle which projects into the induction pipe agitate and break up the fuel mixture in the induction pipe and cause it to be intimately mixed with the secondary air entering through the device.

The spindle is preferably hollow, and the air drawn into the chamber is caused to pass through the spindle into the induction pipe where it is intimately mixed with and distributed through the fuel mixture by the second fan or series of blades' One preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is an elevation.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the casing, the spindle and blades being shown in full.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the spindle and blades.

Figure is an elevation in perspectiveof l the casing only.

of an e'nglne. I

OFFICE: t

Figure 5 is an inverted plan view of theg In the form illustrated, the body a of the I" device consists of a hollow cylindrical cham.

ber having a hexagonal case b anda d0wnwardly pro ect ng screwed spigot c-by which the device may be screwed intoan induction-pipe. The spigot is hollow-and carries two parallel downwardly projecting arms.

(Z to the lower end of which is-secured a disc 6 having a conical or other axial. recess to form the inner bearing for the spindle f.

The outer end of the body is closed by a flanged cap 9 whichis a sliding fit thereon, and an; air inlet aperture h is formed in the side ofthe body the opening of which is controlled by'rotation of the cap gto cause in thecap and screwed into the body. In

order that the setting of the cap may be accurately and easily effected, graduations Z are provided on the lower edge of the flange of the cap together with a single line, ar-

row, or other marking on the adjacent 'part of the body, and the upper part of. the cap is knurled,' as shown in Fig. 1 for engagement by the fingers.

The cap galso carrles the'ou-ter bearing for the spindle f which is formed bya. re-

cessed screw e screwedaxially into :the cap and provided with alock-nut so that ad; justment of the hearing may be readily effected.

The fan spindle f is a hollow tubular member which carries on the portion within the body a a series of spiral blades or vanes m of diameter approximately equal to the internal diameter of the body, and apertures n are provided leading into the'interior of the spindle between each pair of blades.

The inner portion of the spindle which projects into the induction pipe passes through the spigot c, and is provided with a series of longitudinal blades 79 which are coplanar with the axis of the spindle, and apertures g are provided in the spindle, parallel to the axis, between the outer ends of the blades, as shown more particularly in Fig. 5. The diameter of these blades 79 may be conveniently about one half of the diameter of the outer fan or vanes. The action of the device is as follows The suction of the engine draws air into the chamber through the inlet aperture h, and this air causes the spindle to rotate by its passage over the blades m of the outer fan. The air enters the hollow spindle f through the apertures 10. and is discharged through the inner apertures 9 between the blades of the inner fan, the air being discharged with a circular whirling motion. The fuel mixture passing through the induction pipe is at the same time being agitated and broken up by the rotation of the inner fan blades, and the result is an intimate mixture of the fuel and air, and a thorough atomization of the fuel.

The action of the device is quite automatic when the correct setting of the air port has once been found, and the volume of air admitted is controlled by the speed of the fans which produce a governing or compensating effect. A correct fuel mixture is obtained at all engine speeds, and the fuel is at all times perfectly atomized and mixed with the entering air, so that the running of the engine is greatly improved and an economy in fuel is effected together with an increase in the power developed.

The device also serves to admit pure air "for. scavenging the engine when running light or with the throttle closed, and also acts as an easy starting device since the petrol is broken up and vaporized immedately the fans commence to rotate under the suction of the engine.

I claim:

1. In a secondary air supply means for an internal combustion engine, a casing adapted to be secured upon the induction pipe of the engine, and having an opening for the admission of air, means for varying the size of said opening, a spindle rotatably mounted within the casing and projecting into the induction pipe, a series of blades jecting into the induction pipe, apertures in the spindle within the casing,-a series of blades in that part of the .spindle within the casing, a second series of blades on that part of the spindle which projects into the induction pipe, and passages in the spindle parallel to the axis thereof and lying bea tween the blades of the second series through which the air is drawn into .the induction pipe from the casing.

3. In a secondary air supply means for an internal combustion engine, a casing adapted to be secured upon the induction pipe of the engine and having an opening for the admission of air, means for varying the size of the said" opening, a "spindle rotatably mounted within the casing and projecting into the induction pipe, a series of blades on that part of the spindle within the easing, a second series of blades on that part of the spindle which project-s into the injection pipe, which air can be drawn into the induction pipe from the casing, the means for vary- ARTHUR GRAHAM FRANCE.

and means through 

